Course at a glance
Introduction
The Level 3 Diploma in Addiction Counselling, accredited by ACCPH, is designed to provide a foundational understanding of addiction and the skills required to counsel those affected. Addiction often involves powerful compulsions to engage in certain behaviours excessively, often as a means to escape emotional distress. These behaviours can lead to a cycle that is difficult to break, impacting both the individual and their loved ones. Addictions may stem from various sources, such as alcohol, drugs, eating disorders, or gambling, and frequently begin because of the pleasurable effects these activities provide initially.
This course is valuable for professionals in healthcare, social work, teaching, and pastoral care who seek to enhance their counselling skills. The course builds on basic counselling skills, and in the initial module, students will review core concepts and explore five counselling approaches.
The course provides an in-depth understanding of psychosocial factors in addiction and offers practical insights for working with addictive behaviours. Substance and alcohol addiction are specifically covered, though the principles apply to various addictive behaviours.
Level 3 Abnormal Psychology Diploma Entry Requirements
- Entry to this Accredited Level 3 Addiction Counselling Diploma requires that potential students have good English oral, reading and writing skills.
- Advice on enrolment and guidance of prior learning (APL) can be obtained through out contact centre. The course is a rolling programme and can be started at any point in the year. Successful students can go on to Higher Education, including remaining as students at COLC to complete courses in our portfolio of higher awards.
- All students must be aged 16 or over.
Course Hours
Approximately 20 hours per unit.
Assessment
Optional coursework and final examination.
Enrolment
Please note that you can enrol on this course at anytime.
Course Length
1 Year.
Endorsed By
Students at the college have the option to choose the awarding body of their course.
This course has been endorsed by :
Accord : https://accord.ac/
This course awarding body are recognised for their high-quality, non-regulated provision and training programmes. This course is not an accredited qualification. Your training provider will be able to advise you on any further recognition, for example progression routes into further and/or higher education. For further information please visit Accord website.
Level 3 Addiction Counselling Diploma Course Content
Unit 1: Introduction to Addiction, Counselling Skills Reappraisal
This introductory module provides an overview of addiction and revisits core counselling skills and theories. Concepts from Freud, Rogers, Skinner, Ellis, Jung, and Egan are explored, covering the evolution of modern counselling approaches.
Unit 2: The Psychodynamic Approach in Addiction Therapy
Focusing on the psychodynamic approach, this unit explains concepts such as defence mechanisms, transference, and counter-transference, showing how they apply to addiction counselling.
Unit 3: The Cognitive Behavioural Approach in Addiction Therapy
This unit covers the cognitive behavioural approach, highlighting its application in addiction counselling. Students learn about behavioural change and understand which client situations benefit most from this method.
Unit 4: The Person-Centred Approach in Addiction Therapy
This unit examines the person-centred approach, discussing concepts like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. It includes techniques for addressing underlying problems in addiction and their practical applications.
Unit 5: Client-Counsellor Relationships in Addiction Therapy
This unit focuses on ethical strategy, establishing boundaries, active listening, and empathy. It also covers the integration of different approaches to suit client needs and explores group dynamics.
Unit 6: Understanding Addiction: Part 1
This unit covers the physiological and psychological effects of addiction, including reinforcement mechanisms and how drugs interact with the central nervous system.
Unit 7: Understanding Addiction: Part 2
Continuing from the previous unit, this module explores drug classifications and the psychological disorders related to addiction. Different counselling models are discussed in the context of addiction.
Unit 8: Focusing on Substance Addiction
This unit categorises common drugs, discussing factors contributing to substance misuse and the impact of these substances on behaviour. Students learn specialised counselling skills for substance addiction therapy.
Unit 9: Focusing on Alcohol Addiction
Focusing on alcohol abuse, this unit examines the physiology behind alcohol addiction and its impact on clients and their relationships. Specialised counselling techniques for addressing alcohol addiction are covered.
Unit 10: Other Addictions – Smoking, Food, Shopping, and More
This unit discusses various other addictions, including smoking, gambling, food, and sex. Comparisons are made across addictive behaviours, and students gain confidence in creating suitable counselling programmes for clients with complex or multiple addictions.
Progression
This Level 3 Addiction Counselling Diploma can be used to gain entry to a Level 4+5 Diploma or higher.
You can view a lit of our Level 4+5 Diplomas here: Accredited level 4+5 Diplomas
